Jurassic World Rebirth Review
In recent years, the Jurassic Park franchise has seen its ups and downs. While there’s no doubt that it still remains one of Steven Spielberg’s most popular works, the newest trilogy left fans wanting more. Sure, it had all the action-packed moments with Chris Pratt one could want, but its socio-political-esque narrative wasn’t as focused as it needed to be. So, with a return to form with Jurassic World Rebirth, does it give fans the satisfaction they’ve been looking for? In some ways, yes, but in most ways, there’s still much to be desired.
Jurassic World Rebirth is a standalone story set years following Dominion where the released dinosaurs moved to remote islands due to Earth’s environment. Zora (Scarlett Johansson), a covert agent, gets hired by a pharmaceutical company alongside Dr. Henry (Jonathan Bailey) and operator Duncan (Mahershala Ali) for a secret mission. However, when a family’s shipwreck disrupts their operation, both groups must do what they can to survive and escape a mutant-infested island.
What makes Rebirth shine the most is how it manages to utilize the archetypes that made the franchise special in the first place. Unlike the modern trilogy of Jurassic World films, Rebirth’s standalone premise truly feels like a return to the earlier films. It splits its pacing between the more action-based venturing party and the lost family, relying on each parallel storyline to balance the exposition and the emotion. Plus, with a big bad pharmaceutical anti-villain (not a full antagonist), this film is about as similar to the original Jurassic Park as it can get.
That isn’t to say that Rebirth doesn’t know how to utilize both storylines to its fullest. In fact, throughout both stories, there are some very intense moments that will really get to you. This especially goes for the family storyline, which feels crafted to make you feel very compelled in each situation they find themselves in. Whether they be trying to rush to escape down a river from a T-rex or something else, the entire family arc will keep you hooked.
Props have to be given to Manuel Garcia-Rulfo, Luna Blaise, David Iacono and Audrina Miranda for the charming performances they give. Particularly, there are some hilarious moments that involve Iacono’s Xavier that add some much needed humor to an otherwise straightforward plot.
On the other end of things, the venturing party with Johansson, Ali, and Bailey is mostly there to keep the narrative moving along. Of course, there are some emotional stakes given the dangers they face and some shocking deaths shown. However, these scenes felt somewhat predictable and we’re never fully invested in their backgrounds due to how blatantly expository it is laid out. We’re not given enough time to fully stick with these characters bar the last few moments of the first act. As such, it kind of makes it hard for us to connect with the PTSD Zora bears.
Furthermore, the “anti-villain” of Rebirth in Rupert Friend’s Martin essentially combines the unethicalness of Lewis Dodgson with the arrogance of Peter Ludlow. The film makes it clear he’s the bad guy from the get-go, but he sits in the background for most of the second act until the very end. However, you can’t say that Friend successfully makes Martin this egotistical figurehead that Zora, Henry, and Duncan have to put up with.
To also satisfy fans, Rebirth never lets up showcasing the dinosaurs in all their glory. From glorious sweeping shots to creepy, brooding moments of the humans being hunted down, the visual effects and cinematography are nailed to a tee. The design of the D-rex, who feels like a kaiju had a baby with a Xenomorph, will creep you out in the third act. However, there’s also a baby Triceratops named Dolores that feels like the franchise’s latest version of Blue from the previous trilogy. Combine these visuals with a beautiful soundtrack from Alexandre Desplat that’s reminiscent of the classic era of Jurassic Park and you’ve got yourself another great presentation that the franchise is known for.
Overall, Jurassic World Rebirth is a satisfactory addition to the franchise, having enough visually stunning moments and awesome dino action to fill a somewhat hollow narrative. Despite this film’s story hitting the familiar beats of the older films, the tension and stakes it has proves it to be a fulfilling experience for any Jurassic Park fan.
Jurassic World Rebirth releases in theaters on July 2.
Rating: ★★★½
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Christopher Gallardo is a freelance entertainment writer and critic. While not running The Reel Roller, Chris can be found writing reviews and breakdowns on all things films and TV. Outside of entertainment writing, he’s currently taking classes for a Bachelor’s of Science with a minor in Digital Media & Journalism. Plus, he loves Percy Jackson, animated films and shows, and Fallout! Follow Christopher on Instagram & X.